Dog Boredom Busters From Animal Joy!

I have two dogs. They are both poodles. Gracie is a black miniature and Bobo, a large taupe colored standard. Gracie is a female athlete. All she wants to do is play fetch. She’d do it all day long if she had any say in the matter! Bobo is a male that is lethargic, relaxed and a total hangdog type. Loves to nap and only get up to change positions or locations and then nap some more!

Sometimes though I am concerned that Bobo is too lethargic for his health or I worry that he may sleep a lot because he’s bored, unless of course there was a thunderstorm the night before and he was up all night worried which means now he has to sleep all day because he’s exhausted! Anyway, back to my point. If a dog doesn’t have a passion, can they get bored? A little research showed me that a) some of you worry about this too, and b) here are some “Boredom Busters” for you and I to try!

1. Try to teach your dog a new trick. Many of us think that older dogs can’t learn new tricks. This is false. They like to learn throughout their whole life just as we do. I taught Bobo to hand me his paw (seems to be right-pawed) when he was 5-years-old and it didn’t take very long at all. Plus he is proud to do it. I can tell.

2. Take your dog for a romp in a park. The leashed walk can get boring after awhile, especially if you walk the same route every time. Dogs love to run whether it’s after a ball, a Frisbee or just running because they can. Who knows, they make a new friend in the park too. Which brings me to #3.

3. Its great to expose your dog to new people or other animals. Dogs love a pat on the head from a stranger in a park, NOT in a crowded urban setting while waiting to cross the street. Dogs like to meet and sniff other dogs, most of the time. If you have a toy-size dog they may be uncomfortable meeting a full size golden so just use common sense and watch the body language. You can recognize a dog happy to make a new friend from one who would prefer not to.

4. A ride in the car is fun for dogs, especially if you put the window down enough for them to sniff their surroundings. Don’t put the window down all the way; some are tempted to jump out!

5. A new toy is a great thing to break up boredom AND you don’t have to buy one either. Take some old socks and tie them together for a great tug of war game. Slide an ice cube across the floor and watch them chase it. Run through the house and chase each other… they love this especially if you’ve got a cookie for them. Which brings me to #6.

6. Don’t just give them a cookie or a treat; put two in your hands and let them pick the one they want. Sometimes they go back and forth, trying to decide and it’s the cutest thing to watch!

Hope I was helpful! Â If you have any ideas you’d like to share please do so…. and have fun, Animal Joy!

Comments

Ahhhhh! I have a tea cup Yorkie, and she adores going to the doggie park; she also loves her ‘babies.’ These are her doggie toys—bought at the pet store, so I know they’re safe—and trust me, put down a yoga mat and watch what happens and how much yoga gets completed—but it’s cute.